From the standpoint of the Montreal Canadiens and their fans (generally speaking), 2024-25 shouldn’t be about making the playoffs. Progress, certainly, but progress takes different forms. And, if you’ve just finished fifth from last in the standings (albeit eight points higher than the previous season), you’re logically going to measure that progress in different ways.
It’s of course possible the Canadiens improve in the standings. However, eyes will likely more so be on the progression of the team’s younger players and how the long-term roster is taking shape as a result instead. If anything, that would be the unifying theme tying the top Canadiens storylines to follow together, heading into 2024-25:
Samuel Montembeault’s First Full Season as Undisputed No. 1
When Samuel Montembeault signed his extension in late 2023, general manager Kent Hughes effectively wrote on the wall for everyone to see that he was going to be the guy moving forward. The Jake Allen trade at the deadline confirmed the intent, especially with an additional year left on the latter’s deal. Retaining salary in the deal with the New Jersey Devils (just to get it done) can only be interpreted as a vote of confidence in Montembeault and presumed backup Cayden Primeau.
To a degree, Montembeault has been here before. He ended up playing the most of any Habs goalie last season, upon unofficially having being handed the reins (with Allen having started three of the team’s first five games). However, he’s always had a safety net of some sort. While Primeau’s emergence as a full-fledged NHL goalie can be a driving force, Montembeault is clearly the guy, considering the aforementioned three-year extension, his in-his-prime 28 years of age and his stats, which have improved each season he’s been with the team.
Due to the three-year term and its modest cap hit ($3.15 million), the Canadiens are really only committing to him into the medium term. However, there’s always the possibility he continues to improve statistically, which could cause the Habs and fans to rethink the projected long-term plan of someone like prospect Jacob Fowler eventually taking over the role. Based on Montembeault’s impressive analytics, that realistically depends both on his progression and that of the young defense in front of him, which gave up a third-worst 33.4 shots against per…
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